Antenna with motorized positioner

Abstract

A dish for receiving satellite signals mounted on a stand through a casing which has a shaft projecting through the casing, the shaft having ends connected to the dish through bracket structure. Within the casing is a worm wheel mounted on the shaft. Also within the casing is a pivoted rocker plate mounting a worm gear and motor. The worm gear engages the worm wheel, and biasing means urges the rocker plate in a direction causing snug engagement of the worm gear and worm wheel. Shaft rotations are determined by electronic means.

It is claimed and desired to secure by letters patent: 
     
       1. A motorized antenna positioner comprising: a frame,   an adjuster shaft rotatably mounted on said frame and means operatively connected to the adjuster shaft which is shifted by turning of the adjuster shaft to position an antenna,   a worm wheel element with worm wheel teeth operatively connected to the adjuster shaft,   a worm gear element with a worm gear drive,   a mounting for the worm wheel element and worm gear element whereby the axis of the worm gear element is spaced from and extends transversely of the axis of the worm wheel element and the worm gear drive meshes with the worm wheel teeth,   said mounting including biasing means yieldably biasing said elements in a direction urging the axis of the wheel element and the axis of the gear element toward each other,   a motor with output shaft and means drivingly connecting the output shaft of the motor and the worm gear element whereby operation of the motor produces rotation of the worm gear element.   
     
     
       2. The antenna positioner of claim 1, wherein said mounting for said elements includes a support mounted for movement on said frame in a defined path, and means rotatably mounting the worm gear element on said support, said biasing means yieldably urging said support for movement relative to said frame in one direction in said path and such movement shifting the axis of the worm gear element toward the axis of the worm wheel element. 
     
     
       3. The antenna positioner of claim 2, wherein said motor is mounted on said support together with said worm gear element, and the means drivingly connecting the output shaft of the motor and the worm gear element is a nonslip drive-transmitting means, and which further includes electronic means operatively counting the rotations of the worm gear element. 
     
     
       4. A motorized antenna positioner comprising: a hollow casing,   a worm wheel assembly including a worm wheel and a worm wheel shaft secured to the worm wheel, the worm wheel being disposed within the casing and the shaft being secured to the worm wheel and having at least one end projecting outside the casing, means rotatably mounting the worm wheel assembly on said casing,   a rocker plate, and means pivotally mounting the rock plate within said casing,   a worm gear journaled on said rocker plate engaging the worm wheel, the means pivotally mounting the rocker plate providing a pivot axis substantially paralleling the axis of the worm gear, biasing means urging pivotal movement of the rocker plate in a direction urging said worm gear against said worm wheel,   a motor within said casing drivingly connected to the worm gear, and   means mounted on said one end of the worm wheel shaft adapted to be connected to an antenna for positioning the antenna with rotation of said shaft.   
     
     
       5. The motorized antenna of claim 4, wherein the motor is mounted on said rocker plate and includes an output shaft paralleling the worm gear axis, and the means drivingly connecting the motor to the worm gear comprises a gear train interconnecting the two. 
     
     
       6. The motorized antenna positioner of claim 5, wherein the worm wheel shaft includes an end opposite said one end projecting outside the casing, and said opposite end of said shaft has means for securing an antenna thereto. 
     
     
       7. The motorized antenna positioner of claim 6, where further includes a mounting for said casing, and wherein the mounting for the casing includes adjustable means permitting alignment of the worm wheel shaft, in azimuth and elevation, with the rotational axis of the earth. 
     
     
       8. The combination of an antenna dish adapted to receive signals from orbiting satellites where the satallites are in geosynchronous orbit over the equator of the earth, and a mounting for said dish supporting the dish above the ground including a stand, bracket structure secured to the antenna dish, and a hollow casing having a shaft extending therethrough, with opposite ends of the shaft protruding from the casing, said bracket strucure being secured to said ends of the shaft and said casing being mounted on said stand,   the mounting for the dish further including adjustable means to establish a polar mount for the dish whereby the axis of the shaft is in parallel alignment with the rotational axis of the earth, the casing including motorized means energizable to shift the dish by turning of said shaft whereby the dish may be moved to acquire different satellites in said orbit,   said motorized means comprising a worm wheel within said casing having said shaft secured thereto and extending therethrough, a worm gear engaging said worm wheel extending transversely of the axis of said shaft, a rocker plate disposed within the casing and means pivotably mounting said rocker plate for pivotal movement about an axis paralleling the axis of the worm gear, said worm gear being journaled on said rocker plate at a point spaced from said pivot axis, biasing means interposed between the rocker plate and casing urging the plate to pivot whereby the worm gear moves against the worm wheel, a motor with an output shaft mounted on the rocker plate and movable with the rocker plate, gears interconnecting the output shaft of the motor and said worm gear whereby the two rotate, and electronic means for establishing the number of rotations imparted to the worm gear by said motor.